Personal Chef To Go's Official Blog

October 2013

10/16/2013

Rich, vibrant foliage – gentle autumn breezes – steamy cups of jasmine tea – warm pumpkin muffins – the fall season brings with it a sense of peace and comfort that no other season seems able to emulate. It also marks a special time for reflection and reevaluation about what’s really important to us.

Consider making a healthy diet and exercise program a big part of what’s important to you this fall season. There is overwhelming evidence that links many chronic diseases to physical inactivity and a poor diet.

The following food and fitness tips will point you in the right direction so you can be on your way to a healthier year:

- Pair up with a partner – Take a quick, morning walk around the block with a co-worker. Plan a nightly stroll along the beach with your spouse. Engage in Tango lessons with a friend. Whatever you choose to do, research supports that pairing up with a partner (even a cyber partner) is key to boosting motivation and sticking to a regular exercise routine.

- Keep a food and fitness journal – Studies suggests that keeping track of your daily food intake and activity level will help you lose more weight and stay in better shape. Write down everything you put into your mouth and how many minutes you exercise every day in a notebook of your choice. Personalize it by adding family photos and favorite newspaper clippings about health and nutrition. Take your journal with you wherever you go, so you don’t miss an entry.

- Stock up on super foods – According to WebMD, super foods like salmon, nuts, broccoli and sweet potatoes promote wellness and weight control. Keeping your fridge full of these super tasty treats is a much healthier lifestyle choice than filling it with ice cream and other non-nutritious goodies.

- Walk a few extra steps – Remember the 10,000 Steps craze from a few years back? The original goal of the 10,000 Steps Program was to motivate people to keep moving. While 10,000 steps a day may not be realistic goal for you, taking a few extra steps every day – whether it means parking further away from the entrance of the grocery store or taking the stairs instead of the elevator – adds up over time and equates to better health.

- Practice portion control – Have you been to a restaurant lately? The portion sizes that most restaurants dish out are enough to feed an army! Practice portion control by reading food labels and using a food scale to keep portions more accurate. When dining out, share a meal with a friend or eat only half of your order saving the rest for the next day.

- Take a nature walk – If you’re ready for some tremendous, restorative health benefits, head to the nearest nature trail. Findings in scientific literature reveal that people who walk for 15 to 30 minutes a day are healthier than their sedentary counterparts. Additionally, walking amidst nature has positive effects on mental health, blood pressure, cholesterol and stress reduction.

- Dress up your H2O – Maintaining good hydration helps prevent dehydration, constipation, gallstones and a number of other health conditions. If you’re H2O challenged, try dressing up your water with lemon wedges or orange slices. Anti-citrus? No problem! Try cucumber slices and a sprig of mint for a cool, refreshing alternative.

- Watch TV in your tennis shoes – If you hate commercials, you’re going to love this! Increase your daily activity by watching TV in your tennis shoes. When the commercials start, get up, stretch and either walk or jog in place or take a quick stroll around your house.

- Transition to the New American Plate – If your dinner plate is three-fourths meat and potatoes and one-fourth vegetables, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) says you’ve got it all wrong. Transitioning to a diet that’s predominantly plant-based will not only help you prevent cancer and other chronic diseases, but it will help you control your weight, as well. The way it works is simple: Fill your New American Plate with at least two-thirds vegetables, fruits, whole grains or beans and only one-third (or less) of animal protein.

10/10/2013

Let Personal Chef To Go be your personal chef EVERY day with great savings on delicious chef-prepared meals that are ready to eat in minutes! Just enter 2020 in the coupon code box when you checkout online or place your order with our friendly customer service representatives at 804-453-2227. Order now! Offer expires on November 1st!

Eating More? Here's Why!

It's the time of year when it starts to get dark early, the days get cooler--in other words, it's Fall. And something else happens as well--we start eating more.

People show a marked seasonal rhythm with increased total caloric consumption, especially from carbohydrates in the Fall and most often associated with an increase in meal size and a greater rate of eating. (Interestingly, alcohol intake has an opposite seasonal pattern, with the highest intake occurring in the Summer and the lowest in the Fall.)

We have a tendency to eat about 200 calories more per day during the fall. What does that translate to in terms of potential weight gain? As much as three to four pounds a year. We often blame much of this 'fall' weight gain on the holidays but that isn't always the case.

WHY WE EAT MORE

Why do we eat more in the fall? More than likely, it's biological--putting on weight in preparation for the potential winter famine our ancestors faced. It all makes sense--the fall harvest, storing up for the long winter months explains de Castro. Historically, we have a tendency to eat when food is plentiful, because we never knew when our next meal was going to be available.

Kurt Krauchi, a scientist at the Psychiatric University Clinic in Basel, Switzerland, studied patients with seasonal affective disorder (a type of mood disorder that is caused by lack of light). He found that they ate more carbohydrates, particularly sweets but also starch-rich foods, during their depression in winter, and that their intake could be reduced with light therapy.

"There seems to be a relationship between light and depression, which leads to consumption of additional carbohydrates," says Krauchi. De Castro, however, found an increase in fall eating independent of decreased light and/or depression.

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY FALL

We may we eat more simply because bathing suit season is over, and we can start hiding excess calories beneath our winter clothes. Whatever the reason, it's important to realize that fall foods (soups, stews, breads, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apples, pumpkins and all types of greens) can actually be healthier than foods of other seasons. They are typically packed with great nutrients, such as fiber, protein, beta carotene and vitamin C. Here are a few tips to keep the fall tasty and healthy:

Soups are great for you if they're not made with cream or cheese. Just watch serving sizes--we tend to eat whatever's in our bowls.

Stews can be hearty and fattening. Use loads of fresh vegetables, and go light on the meat and potatoes.

Avoid unconscious eating while watching football and the new fall TV lineup. Never bring the whole bag or bowl of anything to the couch or coffee table--pre-measure it in the kitchen beforehand. When it comes to chips, make sure they're baked, not fried.

For pizza, watch the toppings--they can double the calories.

Celebrate the fall harvest in other ways besides making pies. Apples are low in calories when they're off the tree, not in a pie.

If it's gotta be pie, try making pumpkin pie with artificial sweetener, egg whites and low-fat milk. And of course, just have one piece. Keep in mind that pumpkin seeds have about 300 calories per 1/4 cup.

Turkey is healthy, as long as you keep it lean and white.

Get out and enjoy the fall weather. The air is cooler, the leaves are turning and the countryside becomes more scenic. It's the perfect time to go outdoors and do something: Take walks on the beach or by the lake; go to the zoo; or ride a bike.

Keep in mind that once we set the clocks back, it gets darker earlier, so there are fewer outdoor options for physical activities in the evening. Make adjustments by joining a gym, planning evening walks at the mall or becoming an early riser.

10/02/2013

Most
men and women will struggle with weight issues at some point in their lives.
Images of celebrities in movies and magazines and on television present a
seemingly impossible physical ideal.

Few of us have the budget for personal
trainers, diet coaches, and nutritional personal chefs. And most of us just
don't have the time needed to plan, shop for, and prepare the types of foods
and meals needed for healthy weight loss and successful weight management.

Personal Chef To Go Meal Plans are
designed to make one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifesyle easy
... the food. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with delicious Personal Chef To Go Chef-Prepared Meals will
allow you to:

Learn about appropriate portion control

Eat delicious and balanced meals

Enjoy your favorite foods

Feel satisfied throughout the day to prevent
cravings

Body
image issues aside, the sad reality is that many Americans are overweight or
obese. With obesity rates on the rise, in adults as well as children, health
professionals are recommending a lifestyle overhaul. There are many long-term
health benefits of maintaining a healthy body weight:

Increased energy to perform daily tasks

Increased capacity for physical activity

Better-quality sleep

Reduced risk of diseases such as diabetes,
heart disease and stroke

Increased self-esteem

The
healthiest weight loss occurs at a rate of 1 to 2 lb. per week. Partner this
program with moderate physical activity and you will be on your way to losing
those unwanted pounds and keeping them off for a lifetime!

How Personal Chef To Go WorksPersonal Chef To Go Meal Plans have been carefully created by our Chefs to
provide you with great-tasting nutritional foods with the least amount of
calories consumed. We have made every effort to provide you with a variety of meal
plans to choose from and we try to not repeat any of the diet foods and meals
in the plan so that you can enjoy a variety of foods while you work towards
your weight loss goals.

Each Personal
Chef To Go Meal Plan allows some discretionary
calories that can be consumed for drinks, salads, snacks, and for those
occasions when you want a little indulgence. Be sure to check your nutritional
labels to ensure that any treats will still keep you within your recommended
caloric allowance. Portion
controlled and low-calorie snacking
options can help you make smart choices when you're between meals.

The
Right Amount of Calories
The simplest way to lose weight is to consume
fewer calories than you use each day. For most people, trimming 500 calories
from their regular intake can have a significant impact. Regular physical
activity can also increase the rate of weight loss and minimize the impact of
succumbing to an occasional indulgence.

The
Right Amount of Protein
Health experts recommend that 15% to 20% of
total daily calorie intake should come from protein. Choose lean protein
sources our chicken, pork, fish or seafood used in all Personal Chef To Go menus.

The
Right Amount of Fat
Cutting fat is often a focus in successful
weight loss plans. What is low fat to you? Most people would be surprised to
learn that your body actually needs fat for proper function and maintenance and
as a source of essential nutrients.

As a reference, if you are consuming the USDA's
standard 2,000 calorie-per-day diet (as shown on any nutritional label), you
are allowed to have 64 grams of fat a day and maintain a healthy lifestyle. A lunch
and dinner meal plan from Personal
Chef To Go will
leave you extra fat grams for you to consume outside of the plan in the form of
snacks, drinks, salads, and the occasional treat.

The
Right Amount of Carbohydrates
Recently popular diets have painted a negative
image of carbohydrates, yet nutrition experts agree that carbohydrates should
make up the largest percentage of your intake - 45 to 65 percent of calories,
in fact. These carbohydrates should come from vegetables, fruits, and whole
grains.

Personal Chef To Go has a healthy solution that allows people on the run
that are low-glycemic so that they will help to prevent hunger pangs between
meals and to provide lasting energy
throughout the day.

Additional
Support with Weight Loss Goals
Each individual has a unique internal metabolism
and will lose weight differently. These guidelines represent a broad-based
weight loss plan designed to meet the needs of the general population. Those
with special needs can contact us at 804.453.2227.